2025 Florida Missing Children's Day (FMCD)
STUDENT CONTESTS
POSTER, ESSAY, & NATIONAL ANTHEM CONTESTS
The National Missing Children’s Day poster contest sponsored by the United States’ Department of Justice’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Office, the essay contest sponsored by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Florida Department of Education, and the Florida Missing Children’s Day Foundation, and the National Anthem Contest sponsored by the Florida Missing Children’s Day Foundation are to be held in 2025.
The goal of these contests and events is to provide teachers, families, and communities with the opportunity to discuss ways for children to stay safe from abduction. Students are invited to watch the Florida Missing Children’s Day ceremony on the Florida Channel or via the web at www.theFloridaChannel.org. This event will occur on Monday, September 8, 2025, at 10 a.m. at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum, in Tallahassee, Florida in which the poster selected as the statewide winner will be on display, the statewide essay contest will read their essay, and the National Anthem contest winner(s) will sing “The Star Spangled-Banner” at the ceremony.
Questions should be directed to FDLE’s Florida Missing Children's Day coordinator by calling 850-739-9223 or emailing FMCD@fdle.state.fl.us.
2025 Florida Missing Children's Day
STUDENT CONTESTS
POSTER, ESSAY, & NATIONAL ANTHEM CONTESTS
ESSAY CONTEST
The essay contest is sponsored by the Florida Missing Children's Day Foundation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Department of Education for 5th grade students. Please join us in participating in the essay contest for 2025. One winner from each FDLE region will be selected and win a $100 dollar check. The statewide winner will be selected from the regional winners. The state-wide essay contest winner will be invited to attend Florida Missing Children's Day on Monday, September 8th, receive an award and an award package that includes an additional $100 dollar check. We ask that schools only submit one (1) essay entry per class or school. Homeschooled and after-school students may submit their submissions directly to FDLE. Please submit all entries to FMCD@fdle.state.fl.us. Please click below to download the Essay Contest Packet. We are looking forward to the essay contest submissions.
The deadline for the Essay Contest has closed. We would like to thank all the
students and schools for their participation in the contest.
NATIONAL ANTHEM CONTEST
Please join us in participating the National Anthem contest for 2025. All children in 1ˢᵗ through 8ᵗʰ grade are invited to participate. Applicants may sing solo or in a group of up to 3 individuals. The winner(s) of this contest will be invited to and expected to attend and sing the National Anthem at Florida Missing Children's Day on Monday, September 8, 2025, at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum in Tallahassee, Florida. The winner(s) will receive a $150 check. If a group wins, the check will be split among the group members. To be considered for the contest, participants must upload their application and a video and/or a link to a video of them singing the first verse of the National Anthem.
Submissions must be sent to FMCDNationalAnthem@gmail.com.
The deadline for the National Anthem Contest is Friday, May 2, 2025.
2024 Poster Contest Winner
Please join us in congratulating Suah as the 2024 FMCD Poster Contest winner! Suah’s winning poster depicts the moon and stars, symbolizing the importance of hope despite darkness. The 2024 statewide billboard’s design was based on Suah’s artwork (displayed below). The poster contest is open to Florida 5th graders.
2024 State Essay Contest Winner
Please join us in congratulating Davis as the 2024 FMCD Statewide Essay Contest winner! His essay explains several tips for children to stay safe and avoid abduction, and can be read here.
Regional Winners:
Fort Myers Regional Winner: Davis
Jacksonville Regional Winner: Lina
Miami Regional Winner: Elise
Orlando Regional Winner: Aria
Pensacola Regional Winner: Christian
Tampa Bay Regional Winner: Renesmy
Tallahassee Regional Winner: Lucas
2024 National Anthem Contest Winner
Congratulations to the 2024 National Anthem Contest winner, Valentina! Valentina performed her rendition of the National Anthem during this year’s ceremony. The National Anthem contest is open to elementary and middle schoolers, and the winner will perform at next year’s Florida Missing Children’s Day ceremony on September 8, 2025.
2024 PREVIOUS CONTEST WINNERS
